Gearing.



T. G. 52 V. H. VAN SANT. (BEARING. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. II. 191s.

Patented J u 11e' l12, 191 Y.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. G. L V. H. VAN SANT.

GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. Il. I9I6.

muted June 12; 1917..

3 SHEETS-suffi v2:2

. G. v` H. VANSAM.

GEARING.

APPLICATION FiLEU SEPT-11.1915.

l 2296.548 Paented me 12, 1917.

3 SHEETS`SHEET 3.

quantity-of oil or grease in THOMAS Gr. VAN SANT, 0F POIPLAR BLUFF, AND VICTOR H. VAN SANT, GF ST. LOUS,

` MISSOURI. l

GEABING.

Laconia.

Specification of Letters Patent. Qiatntdl Jun@ 312, lltiljiw'..

Application filed September 11, 1916. Serial No. 119,340.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, THOMAS G. VAN SANT and VICTOR H. VAN SANT, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Poplar VBluff, Butler county, Missouri, .and St. Louis, Missouri, respectively,'have invented a new and useful Gearing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to diderential gearing for automobiles.

An object of the invention is to provide a differential gearing for automobiles comprising series of. pinions operating in a the differential housing on the principle of the impeller pinions of a rotary pump, the pinions of each series intermeshing and withthe gears upon the axle shafts respectively, and provision for enabling differential operations of the pinions of the different series as required to drive both rear wheels of the automobile at the proper l p speed in making turns, and also under any conditions when there is a difference in traction as between the rear wheels; as for in stance, when either of the rear wheels has traction upon a firm surface and the other upon soft ground or in mud, so that the wheel in the soft groundor mud will not spin, but by coperation of the diderential pinions with the oil orgrease in the diHerentia'l housing the wheel upon the firm surface will als'be driven.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gearing of lthe class described com-v prising differential pinifons entrained with the rear axle shafts respectively, means for driving the differential pinions from the drive shaft of theautomobile, and means for cooperating theipinions with a quantity of oil or grease in the4 differential housing to preventthe idling of either of the rearV when the traction is released or v.

axle Ashafts reduced on either one or the other of the rear wheels; by which construction proper differential operation is permitted, but the spinning `of either of the rear wheels while the other remains stationary is positively prevented..

A further Aobject of the invention is to provide a gearing whereby the flower on both of the rear axle shafts is equalized in order to preventskldding of either of the rearv wheels.

with each other In addition to the foregoing objects other objects of and .advantages to be attained by the invention will appear from the following description 1n which reference vis made to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 isa vertical section of the improved differential gearing mechanism..

Fig. 2 'is an elevation illustrating the large bevel driving gear and the difieren tial pinions including the pump impeller de-I vices which coperate with the oil or grease to produce the proper differential operation and to prevent the operation or spinning of one of the rear Wheels while the other remains stationary.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the axle gears and one' set of thedi'erential pinions illustrating the` novel construction of the latter.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the dierential pinion suport. l

As illustrated in the drawings, the diderential mechanism is incased in a housing 1 of familiar design and construction in connection with the tubular housings 2 of the axle shafts. Portions'of the axle shafts are illustrated in Fig. 1 and are designated by 3 and 4, respectively. These shafts are axially alined and their inner ends are spaced apart and support the gears 5\ and 6. The

gear 5 has a hub 7 and the gear 6 has a hub 8, and these hubs are feathered or splined on the axle shafts. The specific construction illustrated for attaching the gears to the shafts comprises a series of grooves 9 adjacent to the ends of the shafts receiving tongues 10 formed within the hubs 7 and S of the gears. 0f course, any other preferred or eicient connecting devices may be employed instead of thespeciiic splining Aconnection illustrated, and we do not restrict ourselves to this identical form of connection.

v.The differential pinions gears and 6, respectively, and are carried in a.A support ycomprising 'two members 11 and 12. which are connected together and to the large bevel driving/gear by bolts 13. Thev member 11 has a laterally extending hub`14 embracing the hub 7 of the gear 5, and the member '12 has a similar hub 15 embracing the hub 8 of the gear 6. The hubs 14 and 15 are journaled in anti-friction mesh with thei bearings 18 lmounted in appropriate sup# porting parts 16 and 17 in connection With the -houslng 1. The entire pinion support is driven by the main drive shaft of the automobile, it being understood that the usual driving pinion on the drive shaft meshes with the large bevel drive gear 19 which y is held in connection with the dili'erential pinion support by the bolts 13, as stated.

The differential pinion support, comprising-the members 11 and 12, is of peculiar and novel construction. The member 11 is formed with a recess which receives the gear 5 and is also formed with a series of pairs of segmental or concave recesses 20 outward-ly lfrom the periphery ofthe gear 5. The member l2 is also formed with a recess which receives rthe gear 6 and with a like series of pairs of recesses 21 outwardly from the periphery of the gear 6, similar to the recesses 20 in the member' 11. The member 12 is also formed pairs of recesses 22 which receive the pump impeller pinions of the differential as hereinafter described. The arrangement of the recesses 21 and 22 in the member l2 is clearly illustrated in F ig. 4, by reference to which it will be seen that the recesses-22 are arranged in pairsso that the Walls of each pair of recesses intersect at one side and .extend to the inner surface of the member 12, thereby forming alternate pairs of com- Vmunicating recesses in which the pump impcller pinions are mounted in the manner next described.

The. diie'rential mechanism foractuating 'the axle shafts from the bevel-*driving gear 19 consists of alternate pairs of differential driving* elements comprising for each pair two relatively large pump impeller pinions 23 within the recesses 22 which are concentric with the pinions mounted therein, and small pinion members 24. Each differential element is supported by an axis 25, the ends of which are journaled in appropriate bearings in the members 11 and 12 as illustrated in Fig. 1. It will be observed that the ends of the teeth on the pump impeller pinions 23 are spaced slightly from the concentric Walls of the recesses in which said pinions are mounted, thus enabling the. oil or grease to be'forced slowly into and out of the recesses' inl order-to provide for the dill'erential action of the pinions as required where there is a variation of the traction of the two rear Wheels. Thepump impeller pinions 23 of each pair intermesh and the small pinion members 24 are arranged on opposite sides of the pinions 23 within the recesses 20 and 21 meshing with the gears 5 and 6. y

In the particular embodiment illustrated there are four pairs of differential pinion actuating members and, by reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the'adjacent pairs of with a series of differentiall elements are hoppositely arranged, and that the .position of the small pinion members 24 `in the adjacent pairs is differential pinion actuating support are provided with passages 26 opening into the recesses 2O and 21, and also communicating with passages 27 through the gears 5 and 6 so that the oil or grease in the housing 1 has free access to the differential mechanism comprising the pump impeller pinions 23 and their associated parts l In operation the desired quantity of oil or grease is placed in the housing 1 so that when the differential mechanism is op-A eration, the oil or .grease passing throughk the passages 26 and 27 will enter the space in which the pump impeller pinions are mounted and will also enter the several re. cesses in which the `pump impeller pinions 23 and the smaller pinion members 24 are mounted. The pump impeller pinions operate on the principle ofthe gears or pinions of a rotary pump, so that when the auto mobile is traveling in a straightcourse,

Where the traction ofthe rear Wheels upon. the road is the sameythe speed oie rotation of the axle shafts and both rear wheels is equal, the pinion'support beinglocked to theA axle shafts and driving them with 'equal speed. pinion carrier with the axle shafts results from the tendency impeller pinions 23 to rotate in the same.

The locking engagement of the of each pair ofthe pump direction when there is no vvariation in traction 0n the part of the rear wheels. Since equal force is applied to alternate ones of the pinion members in opposite directions, the'pump impeller pinions 23 Will be` held against rotation, thereby `:causing the axle shafts to rotate with the carrier or support in which the impeller pinions 23 are supported. This locked condition l,continues until the traction .on one or the other of the rear wheels is varied, or until the speed of the rear wheels becomes unequal by reasonA of changing the direction of` travel y'of the automobile as in making a turn.

When the speeds Aof rotation of the axle shafts become unequal, either by loss of trac'- tion on one or the other of the rear Wheels, or by reason of variation of speed in making "turns, there will bea tendency ofthe ifrn1l peller pinions 23 to rotate relatively to conpensate for the differential speeds of the axles. That is to say, When the vehicle is vto go forward, the "pinion'23 in the series face, to rotate ythe recesses and the ends of bdifferential action.

messias indicated by F (Fig. 2) Will be impelled vor actuated relatively in the direction indicated by the arrows, While pinions indicated by R will be impelled or actuated in the opposite direction, and in the forward drive of the vehicle have no ,infiuence toward retarding the diiferential rotation of the other series, but are brought into effective use When the direction of the drive sha-ft is reversed. When a variation in the traction of the rear Wheels exists or is encountered, a quantity of the oil or grease is .compressed Within the recesses 22 in which the impeller pinions F are located, so that when the oil or grease is compressed therein further relative rotation of the impeller pinions F is prevented. As a result of this condition and' since the axle shaft 3 is entrained with the axle shaft 4 through the medium of the gea-rs 5 and (i, and the differential actuating members, it follows as a necessary consequence that there Will be slight, if any, further relative rotation of the axle shaft 3 as compared With the axle shaft si; that is to say, both shafts will then be rotated together, causing the rear Wheel, which has traction upon a firm sur and move the automobile forwardly until the other rear Wheel acquires proper traction and properly performs its function. ln the futher travel of the automobile, the oil or grease Which had been compressed Within the recesses Q1 will gradually become equalized, since it may pass from the recesses, bet-Ween the Walls of the adjacent teeth, and the mechanism is thereby automatically restored to a condition for proper When 'the automobile is to be moved baclcwardly, the differential elements R are brought into function and in case of variation in traction operate to equalize the traction between the rear Wheels as in 'the case of the differential elements described.

ln either case there is suiiicient passage for the oil or grease from the recesses to permit the differential action of 'the rear Wheels in making turns` but Where either of the rear Wheels loses its traction from any cause, the other rear wheel will be positively driven after comparatively slight rotation of the Wheel Without traction.

life are aware that numerous modifications inay be made in the construction shovvmavithout deimrting from 'the principles of the invention. `We do not restrict ourselves to precise or identical details of construction and arrangement, but what We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

i. Differential gearing comprising a support having series of recesses therein, series of pairs of pinions in said support, the pinions of each pair meshing within said the series of recesses and. operating to compress oil or grease Within said recesses, and driving gears driven by. said' pinions,

2. in a differential gearing, ythe combina tion with axiallyv alined: shafts and a gear upon each of said shafts, of'a pinion support carried by and revoluble relative to said shafts, ysaid support having compression chambers formed therein, sets of intermeshing pinions in said support` Within said chambers operable to compress oil or lubricant within said chambers, and gears upon said axle shafts entrained With said .pinions 3. lin a differential gearing, the combination of 4a housing arranged to contain oil or grease, axially alined axle shafts extending into said housing, gears upon said axle shafts Within the housing, a differential pinion support supported by said aXlegsha-fts Within the housing, said support having compression chambers formed therein, pump impeller pinions in 'said pinion support Within said chambers, and pinion members in connection with said impeller pinions meshing with said gears, respectively.

il. The combination with axially alined axle shafts, a differential gear housing, and a driving gear Within said housing, of a. difff'erentialy pinion support in connection With said driving gear, said support v'having chambers formed therein, pump impeller pinions carried by said support and operating within said chambers, pinions in connection with said'impeller. pinions, and gears in connection With the axle shafts meshing with said last-named-pinions.

5. Differential gearing for automobiles, comprising a housing arranged to contain oil or grease. a pinion support Within said housing, said support having compressionl chambers formed therein, a driving gear iuconnection with said pinion support, pairs of pump impeller pinions in said chambers, driving pinion members in connection with said impeller pinions, and gears meshing with said driving pinions for driving the axle shafts of the automobile.

6. The combination with the axle shafts of an automobile and a housing arranged to contain oil or grease, anism for differentially driving said axle shafts, comprising gears attached to-r the axle shafts, a support Within said liguel ing, said supporthaving compression c`A` bers formed therein, pump impeller pin ens operating in said compressionchambers,

and pinions in connection with said impebv ler pinions meshing with said gears.

. 7. The combination With the axle shafts of an automobile and a housing arranged to' contain oil or grease, of differential mech-4 anism for differentially driving the axle shafts, comprising a support Within the housing, said support having compression chambers formed therein, 4pump impeller of differential mech.

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iis

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pinions Within said chambers, gears upon the axle shafts, pinions in connection with the impeller pinions meshing kwith said gears, and a driving gear in connection with said support.

8. The combination With the axle shafts of an automobile, gears attached to said shafts and a housing incasing said gears v Aand arranged to contain oil or lubricant,fof

a support Within said housing, said support having compression chambers formed therein, passages for admitting the oil or grease from said housing into said compression chambers, pump impeller pinions- Within said chambers, and driving? pmions ,in connection With said impeller. pinions meshing with said'gearsf 9. The combination .with the axle shafts of an automobile, gears attached to said axle shafts, and a housing incasing sald gears and arranged to contain o1l or grease,

of dierential mechanism for differentially driving said axle shafts, comprising a support, said support having compresslon chamf bers formed therein, a gear for Aactuating said support, passages for admitting the oil or grease into said compression chambers, and pump impeller pinions 1n said chambers mitting Vthe oil or grease into said support,v

, pairs of pump impeller pinions Withinsaid chambers operating to compress the oil or grease therein under conditions described, and pinions entraining said impeller pinions. with said gears.

11. The combination with the axle shafts of an automobile, gears attached to said shafts for revolving ,the same, and a housing incasing said gears and arranged lto contain oil orv grease, of differential mechanism for' driving said gears and shafts comprising a support Within the lhousing, saidksupport having compression chambers formed` therein, pinions carried by the support. meshing with said gears, and pump impeller pin-ions in connection Withthe first-named pinions operating to compress the oil ory grease Within said compression chambers under the conditions described;

12. The combination with the axle shafts of an automobile, gears attached to said o tshafts for driving the same, and a housing ncasing said gears, of differential meclr anism for .driving said gears and shafts4 comprising a support Within the housing, said support having compression chambers formed therein, a gear for driving said support, differential pinions carried by said support meshing With said gears, and pump impeller pinions` in connection With the differential pinions operating to compress the oil or grease Within said chambers under the conditions described.L

13. Differential gearing, comprising axially alined driven shafts, a gear carried by each of said shafts, a pinion carrier, sets of intermeshing impeller pinions in said carrier, and a relatively smallerv pinion connected. With each of the impeller pinions and meshed With said gears, respectively.

14. Differential gearing, comprising axially alined driven shafts, a gear carried by each of said shafts, a pinion carrier, sets of intermeshing impeller pinions in said carrier, a pinion connected with each of said impeller pinions and meshed vvith said gears, respectively, and means for retarding the ro tation of said driving pinions.

15. Differential. driving gearing, comprising a housing adapted to contain oil or grease, axially alined shafts extending into said housing, gears on said shafts, a pinion carrier fitted over said shafts, said pinion carrier having compression chambers formed therein, a'plurality of setsof intermeshed impeller pinions in said chambers, gear connectioim between each of the members of said sets with the gears on said shafts, respectively, and passages for admitting the oil or grease into said chambers for retardinglrelative rotation of said pinions under the conditions described.

16. Differential gearing, comprising'axially alined shafts, a drivenL member, pump impeller pinions arranged to operate in a lubricating substance for locking said driven member with said shafts and for permitting the differential rotation of said shafts, and means for ylimiting the differential rotation of said shafts.

17. Differential driving gearing, compris-y ing a housing arranged to contain oil or grease, axially alined shafts extending, into said housing, a gear attached to each shaft, a pinion carrier having compression champinions entrained with said gears on said shafts and adapted to compress the oil or bers therein for receiving pinions, sets of f grease into said chambers to lock said pinion carrier with the shafts as required to limit the differential rota-tion of said shafts under the conditions described, and means for adgrease to the chambers mitting the oil or said pinion carrien/v 18. Differential driving gearing, comprising a housing, driven shaftsextending into said housing andarranged in axial alinement, a gear carried by each of said shafts,

meeste arevoluble support journaled in said housing, said support having chambers Jformed therein, differential members comprising lar e intermeshing` pump impeller pinions, and relatively small pinions meshing with said gears, said pinions being arranged in alternate sets, means for admitting oil or grease to said chambers, whereby the rotation of said impeller pinions compresses thesame into said chambers underthe conditions described, and means for driving said revoluble support.V

19. Differential gearing, comprising axially alined shafts, a rcvoluble'support an ranged about said shafts, means'for rotating said support, gear connections between said shafts and said support arranged to coperate with a lubricating substance effectively to lock said revoluble member with both', o said shafts and to permit the difererttial rotation of said shafts under the conditions described, and means afecting the operation of said connections to limit the differential rotation of said shafts. y

20. Differential gearing, comprising axially alined shafts, a revoluble support arranged about said shafts, means for rotating said support, connections between said shafts and said support operable eectively to'lock said support with both or said shafts and to permit the diierential rotation of said shafts under the varying conditions described, means atlecting the operation of said connections to limit the differential rotation of said shafts when said support is driven in one direction, and separate means affecting the operation of said connections to limit I Aally alined shafts, a gear on'each o the diEerentia-l rotation of said shafts when said support is driven in the other direction. 21. Differential gearing, comprisin axisaid.

shafts, a support around said shafts, a plurality `of pinion elements connecting said support and said ears and 'tirranged to cooperate with a lu ricating substance eectively to lock said shafts for rotation with said support and to permit the relative movement of said gears and said driven member under the varying conditions of traction described, and means r limiting the differential movement of said shafts. p

22. Diierential gearing, comprising an exterior housing, a driven support in said housing having passage ways therethrough, said'support having c ambers formed therein, sets of intermeshing pump impeller pinions in said support, axially alined shafts, connections between said shafts and each lof said sets of impeller pinions, chambers in which said impeller pmions operate, and means for retarding the flow of fiuid through said chambers thereby retardng the relative rotation of said pinions in said support.

In Witness whereof, We have signed thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y THOMAS Gr. VAN SANT.

Y VICTUR H. VAN SANT. Witnesses for Thomas G. Van Sant:

CARL Sor-innen, WALTER L. Koos. Witnesses for Victor H. Van Sant:

- N. G. BUTLER,

JOHN D. Rmmr. 

